| VOCAL TIPS FOR STORYTELLING | | | | you do don't matter as much as easing into and |
| By Diane Brandon | | | | gradually working up to intensity, volume, or |
| Your voice, along with your face and your body, | | | | higher or lower ends of your range. |
| is a major tool that you rely upon in storytelling. If | | | | Deep breathing can not only help to relax you |
| your voice is not in optimum condition, then your | | | | before a performance, but can also help to |
| storytelling performance may suffer accordingly. | | | | support the voice. |
| Here, then, are some tips for maintaining that | | | | Any tension in the face, jaw, or neck should be |
| intrinsic element of your work. | | | | eased. Tightness in these areas can produce a |
| Your voice is part of your body. Keeping your | | | | "tight" voice and lead to strain. Doing the beginning |
| body healthy will help to keep your voice healthy. | | | | of a yawn in conjunction with deep breathing can |
| Sleep can be critical to the condition of your voice: | | | | help reduce tension and open up these areas. |
| if you get too little sleep, you may find that your | | | | You don't want to "push" your voice too much, |
| voice is husky or hoarse or has more phlegm | | | | by overdoing the volume or yelling. This type of |
| than normal, or that your throat is scratchy. | | | | misuse can lead to strain and hoarseness and, if |
| Drinking milk before a performance may "coat" | | | | done over time, can produce nodes on the vocal |
| your throat and produce phlegm. Some people | | | | folds. Any ongoing, chronic hoarseness may be |
| are sensitive to any milk products, including | | | | indicative of this condition. |
| cheese and yogurt, and you may need to avoid | | | | Your throat and voice give you wonderful, built-in |
| them prior to a performance. | | | | feedback whenever you're doing something |
| Drinking alcohol can impair your vocal | | | | wrong: if your throat gets tight or sore after |
| performance, as it relaxes the vocal folds and | | | | using your voice or your voice gets hoarse from |
| makes it harder for them to approximate. | | | | use, you're getting feedback that you've done |
| When performing in cold weather, the throat | | | | something injurious. |
| should be kept warm. If the throat is unusually | | | | As a storyteller, you may be concerned about |
| cold and the voice is used, hoarseness or vocal | | | | strengthening yourvoice. Your voice, however, will |
| strain could result. | | | | naturally strengthen over time and with practice. |
| Before a performance, vocal warm-ups are a | | | | The key is to use it healthily and not to "push" it |
| good thing to do. Just as a dancer or athlete | | | | too much or strain it. As your voice strengthens |
| needs to warm up his or her muscles, so too | | | | (through the vocal folds developing), you'll |
| does a performer need to warm up the voice, as | | | | gradually be able to do more with it and use it in |
| the vocal folds aremuscles. In warming up, you | | | | ways you couldn't before. |
| should start out lightly and gradually work up to | | | | (This article was originally published in "Journal of |
| more intensity or volume. The specific exercises | | | | Tar Heel Tellers" in the March 1995 issue. |